SUKRU AYA'S LETTER TO OBAMA RESPONDING TO ANCA CLAIMS

Published: 08-29-2009

Much Esteemed and beloved Mr. President,

Salute, regards, and sentiments from Türkiye, the country where your friendly visit, is treasured!

As soon as I read the rude, accusatory, and outright disrespectful letter (see below) written to you by Kenneth V. Hachikian, Chairman of ANCA—a shady group currently under investigation by federal agencies for alleged campaign finance and lobbying violations—I felt compelled to write to you and put some light on penned slanders!

Salute, regards, and sentiments from Türkiye, the country where your friendly visit, is treasured!

As soon as I read the rude, accusatory, and outright disrespectful letter (see below) written to you by Kenneth v. Hachikian, Chairman of ANCA-a shady group currently under investigation by federal agencies for alleged campaign finance and lobbying violations-I felt compelled to write to you and put some light on penned slanders!

The letter, [quite short of accustomed courtesy and respect when addressing the White House] was urging you to reject the recent ruling of a three judge panel of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Movsesian v. Versicherung A.G. (No. 07–56722, August 20, 2009), which struck down a California special-interest law providing remedies and tax exemptions to ethnic Armenians for alleged wrongs during an alleged genocide.

I should like to emphasize that because of my affection to too many American or Turkish Armenians with whom I have shared many joys and sorrows of my life and continue to have warm, friendly relations, I have compiled a book using anti-Turkish, (mostly Armenian, American) and neutral sources, which took me some four years. A copy will be mailed to you by my friends in USA as annex to this letter, for your further guidance with more than 2000 verbatim excerpts from books, documents, articles etc. that cannot be refuted by any party. The book has been on the «Open Free E-Book Library» of «Armenians-1915.blogspot.com» «a small group of truth dedicated Turkish Armenians, striving for the normalization of relations and discovery of truth and protection of the present Turkish-Armenians friendly relations», from the continuous interceptions of diaspora organizations, which for nearly a century have established a «trade or industry of marketing hatred and revenge», and for which they collect a huge amount of money, some disposed as needed or embezzled during the process!

Apparently, no one taught these Armenians about the separation of powers in U.S.A. and that it is un-American for the executive branch to contravene the judicial branch (or legislative branch). Such discriminated practices may be all right in Armenia, {a land-locked, poverty-stricken, corrupt, aggressive, and violent Armenia living on the donations and instructions by diaspora groups} but it is frowned upon in America.

The disrespectful Armenian letter writer also seemed ignorant of the federal supremacy law, which says state laws cannot replace, void, or overrule federal laws. The wily and tricky Armenian lobby thought they found the short cut, by applying local political pressure to get a tailor-made state law to bypass all federal laws. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals saw to it, that those Armenian falsifiers got a good lesson on American government.

The insolent Armenian letter writer, in asking the White House to interfere with the decision of U. S. Court of Appeals or evaluate a California State Law interpretation as superior to Federal Laws and U. S. Constitution, in effect, was forcing the U. S. Government to violate written bilateral agreements with the sovereign Republic of Turkey. Thus, the deceptive and tiny Armenian lobby was indirectly attempting to manipulate American foreign policy. Excuse, but in simple words, this is like «the tail or tail tip wagging the dog»!

The expression, such as «Genocide era wrongs», is not based on any judicial decision, but is set on «hearsay and forgeries» promoted deceptively by biased persons or organizations. My book has hundreds of examples. Armenians also fail to understand that hasty campaign pledges and responsibility of an office may differ after election, and sometimes diametrically opposing things. Overall, American interests always trump preferential or actually discriminatory demands of specific ethnic groups or lobbies! That said, a responsible, truth-defending President, is expected to investigate deeper any pledges made during election campaigns and refrain from unrealistic, untrue, unethical, unequal or biased pledges.

The «Armenian Genocide» allegations are not supported by the verdict of any «competent tribunal» as set forth by the 1948 U. N. Convention. Such terminology, therefore, is not more than a political statement based on hearsay, forgeries, falsifications, fabrications, distortions, and outright lies. Not every killing or suffering is genocide. Not every war crime or hate crime is genocide. Not every photo, tall tale, documentary, film, book is genocide. Genocide verdict can only be given at a competent tribunal after due process where all sides are given a fair chance to tell its side of the story and cross-examine the evidence and witnesses. This was never done in the case of Turkish-Armenian conflict. Armenians are trying to bypass legislation by applying political pressure. But it will not work! They will never come out on a bilateral commission of investigation or scholarly evaluation. On the contrary, the U.S. records in archives bear plenty evidence that the exact opposite is true, or that brutalities were mutual and mostly inflicted by the ancestors of the claimants as evidenced by their own books and historians!

Armenian propaganda organizations such as ANCA, should be aware of the fact that the new Turkish Republic had agreed with U.S.A. on Dec. 24, 1923 to study all claims and compensate for the actual losses suffered by the U. S. Citizens, until that date. Their absence of knowledge is proof of their blind antagonism!

ANCA should also be aware that a joint Committee had been empowered with another agreement dated October 25, 1934 and all U.S. citizens or claimants were given a deadline to submit their claims and evidences. The claims that had been submitted were meticulously verified. A further agreement of «Adjustment of Payment» No.168 dated Sept.8, 1937 was concluded with Turkey. U.S.A. confirmed with letter No.93, dated Sept.23, 1937 to the Republic of Turkey, that «…when the agreed amount is paid, Turkey will be fully discharged of the obligations previously agreed…»:

Turkey had fulfilled the agreement; claimants had been accordingly paid and USA has no longer any lawful rights to request, 72 years later, additional indemnities for cases studied and settled in 1937!

Accusing U. S. Governments for «complicity on genocide denial» is an arrogant insult to USA and Turkey, as long as the humiliation of «genocide» stands as a word in the air, never decided by a competent tribunal!

ANCA organization does not have the immunity to call other parties «criminal», unless the «crime is proven and the judicial verdict is at hand». Declarations by some Parliaments or other legally irrelevant and/or unauthorized groups are political and have no judicial merit. They may stroke Armenian egos, but are, otherwise, worthless gestures of bias and bigotry, which are used as asset or assessment for collecting «donations for the cause»!..

Vague expressions and accusations such as «race extermination or over 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives» stands much short of truths and the U.S. state archives refute them openly because:

a- «American Military Mission to Armenia» (General Harbord) Report 1920 and Annex Report Nat. Archives 184.021/175 do not mention any «race extermination» but instead refer to «refinements of cruelty by Armenians to Muslims».

b- Joint US-Congress Resolution no. 192, April 22, 1922 relative to the activities of Near East Relief ending 31.12.1921, has unanimously resolved that 1,414,000 Armenians were alive. Moreover, (George Montgomery) a member of the US delegation at the Paris Conference had presented a detailed tabulation in 1919, with 1,104,000 Armenians alive, apart from those who had already immigrated to other countries.

c- Reliable sources show that THE TOTAL ARMENIAN POPULATION in the (1914) Ottoman Empire was less than 1.3 MILLION (or up to a maximum of 1.5 millions) and hence it would be ANCA’s liability to «defy and annul these official U. S. State Records," and give documentary evidence of which number is to be trusted!

ANCA is charging the Obama administration of «blocking legal redress of U.S. citizens» without minimal proof. ANCA should be aware of the fact that the Obama administration is responsible for protecting the rights and interests of all true American citizens who took an oath when they were naturalized. In other words, the Obama Administration cannot be held responsible for losses such as of life, property, or inheritance by her citizens in «former countries» (before they were naturalized) from where they immigrated to the US! Prevailing cases of U.S. citizens were promptly settled by former USA Administrations at that time. This does not limit the «U.S. citizens from pursuing their personal claims individually in other countries» under their own liabilities. USA cannot disregard or deviate from her written obligations in international agreements under any ethnic pressure or others, such as by ANCA.

If ANCA lobby organization is disappointed because Obama treats American citizens of Armenian ethnicity equally with all other American citizens and cannot extend special privileges to ANCA, then I am afraid, ANCA is giving priority to ANCA leaders’ private interests over the interests of American citizens over all.

There is no place for any prejudice or antagonism in USA’s relations with other countries. It is hard to understand or justify why Armenian community is so fearful of «any type of investigation» (by historical commission or others) unless, of course, there are facts that Armenians do not wish to be brought into the light.

Obama Administration has taken an oath to serve all American citizens, equally, and to protect their overall interests. A U.S. president cannot support unproven allegations or hearsay that may tarnish American values like justice, fairness, openness, honesty, equality, and compassion for all. The Obama Administration, I hope, will never be part of «any prejudice or antagonism» against any ethnicity, nation, race, or faith on earth!

I welcome ANCA’s offer to discuss «these matters personally in greater detail» when Armenian falsifiers would support White House’s desire to hear what «other American citizens» may have to say equally in a fair, friendly and civilized conference!

b- Book separately mailed from USA, marked on envelope (Annex of the letter by Sukru S. Aya)

NOTE: The Armenian Community in Turkey and many Armenians in the world, who can see the personal ego and financial interest of the diaspora, are disturbed by the latter’s arrogance and fomenting frictions on which they thrive! My friends and I are dedicated to decency, truth, reason and compassion and despise «hate merchants»

c.c.:

a- U.S. A. Embassy — Çankaya — Ankara (Book formerly presented)

b- U.S. A. General Consulate — Istanbul — - — - — - -do-

c- T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlıgı (Foreign Office) Ankara — - -do-

***

And here is the letter written by ANCA, the same organization previously headed by a convicted Armenian terrorist, Topalian, who shamelessly stored explosives next to a school, daycare, and a gas station in Ohio until caught in the act by the FBI:

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ANCA’s letter to Obama

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to urge you to take immediate steps to publicly reject the flawed ruling of a three judge panel of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Movsesian v. Versicherung A.G. (No. 07–56722, August 20, 2009), that struck down a California law providing remedies for Armenian Genocide-era wrongs, and argued that state level recognition of this crime contradicts «express federal policy» and is therefore unconstitutional.

You bear direct responsibility, Mr. President, by virtue of your failure to keep your repeated, crystal clear pledges to recognize the Armenian Genocide, for the Court’s judgment that it is the official policy of the Executive Branch of the United States government to actively oppose proper recognition of this crime and, upon this basis, to thus prohibit states from passing laws to help Armenian Genocide-era victims seek to reclaim lost or stolen property. The Court’s interpretation of your broken promise marks an unmistakable and historic low in our government’s long complicity in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial.

As you know, over 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives and, of course, many more were deprived of their property as a result of the Ottoman Turkish government’s systematic and deliberate campaign of race extermination. It is particularly tragic, given the thorough understanding that you have articulated regarding the moral, historical, and political meaning of this crime, that, it is under your leadership that the United States government is today not only engaged in complicity in genocide denial, but also, according to a judicial ruling, actively working to ensure that the remaining survivors and their families are denied avenues to seek to reclaim property lost during these massacres.

Your Administration’s policies, as understood and affirmed by the Court, in addition to blocking legal redress for U.S. citizens, have now opened the door-in unprecedented and profoundly dangerous ways-for interests aligned with the Turkish government to seek to roll back several generations of American civil society efforts to mark this tragedy, including through formal recognition by 42 U.S. states. As such, we once again urge you to publicly reject the Court’s interpretation of your Administration’s position and call upon you to honor your covenant with American voters to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In closing, I would like to stress to you, once again, how broadly and profoundly disappointing your failure to honor your many commitments on issues of special concern to Armenian American citizens has been for the ANCA, a grassroots organization that, based upon your track record and series of publicly stated commitments, enthusiastically endorsed your candidacy and successfully mobilized an unprecedented community drive to help secure your election. In the wake of your many broken campaign commitments, your silence in the face of this profoundly misguided judicial action would compound the Armenian American community’s sense of betrayal regarding your Administration’s behind the scenes efforts to block adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, your White House’s use of Turkey’s cynically-inspired «roadmap» to defer U.S. recognition, and your State Department’s shameless pressure on Armenia to accept the artificial «historical commission» that Ankara has long advanced to prevent the proper recognition of this crime.

We remain ready, as we have shared with you on a number of past occasions, to meet with you to discuss these matters personally and in greater detail.

[signed]

Kenneth v. Hachikian

Chairman

***

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

This is to refute the baseless claims and arrogant demands made by the Armenians in a letter to you recently. Kenneth v. Hachikian, chairman of ANCA -the same organization previously headed by a convicted Armenian terrorist, Topalian, who shamelessly stored explosives next to a school, daycare, and a gas station in Ohio until caught in the act by the FBI-

The discourteous Armenian letter was urging you to reject the ruling of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Movsesian v. Versicherung A.G. (No. 07–56722, August 20, 2009), which found a California partsian law providing remedies to ethnic Armenians in life insurance matters during an alleged genocide. This bizarre demand, a clear evidence of lack of understanding of American government, totally contradicts the separation of powers in U.S. A. The impolite Armenian letter also seemed clueless about the federal supremacy law, which stipulates that state laws cannot void or overrule federal laws.

Demanding that the U. S. Government violate bilateral agreements with the sovereign Republic of Turkey by asking the White House to interfere with the decision of U. S. Court of Appeals is simply un-American.

Furthermore, the term genocide is not based on a verdict by a competent tribunal and reflects a biased interpretation of WWI events, ignoring the six T’s of the Turkish-Armenian conflict [i.e. tumult (revolts), terrorism, treason, territorial demands, Turkish suffering, and TERESET, temporary resettlement order of May 27, 1915.] Not all killing, suffering, and war crimes are genocide. For a genocide verdict, intent of the perpetrator must be proven at a competent court after due process. That was never done in the Turkish-Armenian conflict. The «Armenian Genocide» allegations are political charges based on hearsay, forgeries, falsifications, fabrications, distortions, and outright lies. Turks suffered, too, at the hands of Armenians and the U.S. archives of the era can attest to that.

Most importantly, ANCA should learn that the Turkish Republic had agreed with U.S.A. on Dec. 24, 1923 to investigate and redress all claims of losses suffered by the U. S. Citizens, until that date. A joint Committee, empowered with another agreement dated October 25, 1934, did collect and verify all submittals, upon which a third agreement of «Adjustment of Payment» No.168 dated Sept.8, 1937 was concluded with Turkey. U.S.A. confirmed with letter No.93, dated Sept.23, 1937 to the Republic of Turkey, that «…when the agreed amount is paid, Turkey will be fully discharged of the obligations previously agreed…» Turkey had fulfilled the agreement by paying the claimants and the matter was permanently and irrevocably settled.

If you ever decide to meet that nagging, demanding, deceptive ANCA, please do yourself a favor and invite us, Turkish-Americans, as represented by ATAA, FTAA, and others, to the same meeting and let us dismantle their bogus Armenian claims effortlessly… and with great pleasure.